Belt conveyor for signatures

Abstract

An improved conveyor for signatures, loose sheets, gathered sheets, and the like, with a device for picking them up. The improved conveyor achieves fast signature transport capabilities in overlapped relationship. A mechanism is also provided for entraining the signatures which are operative on each signature prior to a preceding signature moving fully away from the following one. Advantageously, the entrainment members have an outer surface with a high friction coefficient. The initial section of the elevator conveyor belts follows a path which deviates from the oblique plane of lay thereof, preferably a substantially vertical path.

We claim: 
     
       1. An improved belt conveyor for signatures, loose sheets, gathered sheets, and the like, having a device for picking up said signatures, etc., and being of the type including a set of feeder belts lying in a substantially horizontal plane and an associated set of elevator belts that receive signatures, etc., delivered to them by the feeder belts, said elevator belts lying in a substantially oblique plane which intersects the horizontal plane of the feeder belts, said feeder belts transporting signatures, etc., toward the intersection between said feeder and elevator belts, and said planes defining a first obtuse solid angular space, characterized in that: (A) said set of elevator belts having at the output ends thereof near the set of feeder belts a deflecting roller the axis of rotation of which is parallel to the apex of the solid angle between said sets of belts, said deflecting roller being located in the path of travel of signatures, etc., leaving the feeder belts, and directing the elevator belts to pass through said feeder belts in a steeper plane than the oblique plane of said elevator belts leaving the deflecting roller, whereby there is provided at the intersection between said sets of belts a second angular space which is larger than the first angular space,   (B) said deflecting roller being provided with signature, etc., entrainment rings in the path of travel of signatures, etc., leaving the feeder belts,   (C) said rings having outer surfaces with a high frictional coefficient, which rings at least in part protrude beyond the elevator belts, whereby to contact and lift the foremost signature, etc., entering the second angular space as soon as the preceding signature, etc., has cleared said angular space.   
     
     
       2. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the entrainment rings are integral with the deflecting roller. 
     
     
       3. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the entrainment rings constitute coatings of a high frictional coefficient such as rubber with a roughened external surface. 
     
     
       4. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein said signature entrainment rings are provided on a separate roller located in the proximity of said deflecting roller on the input side of said elevator belts. 
     
     
       5. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein said rings are at least two in number and torque-wise rigidly attached to the associated supporting roller between any two adjacent elevator belts. 
     
     
       6. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein said means for sensing the presence of the signatures comprise a first electric switch, or the like, the movable portion whereof is located proximate to the second angular space from said horizontal feeder belts to said oblique elevator belts. 
     
     
       7. An improved belt conveyor according to claim 6, wherein said means for sensing the presence of the signatures further comprise a second electric switch, or the like, located downstream of the input side of said elevator belts, said switch being in series with said first electric switch.